A British-Bangladeshi student has been awarded a £250,000 scholarship at the world’s top university – after being rejected by Cambridge.
Mohammed Isuf Ahmed, 18, won a place to study physics and aerospace engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also received an offer from another leading US university, Harvard.
Isuf, who lives in central London with his mother Shifa Begum and two younger brothers, said he is fulfilling his dream of becoming an astrophysicist.
He has always been interested in space and used to spend his evenings staring at the moon through a telescope. Isuf was among a group from Newham Collegiate Sixth Form to travel to MIT’s campus last year.
While studying for A-levels in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry, he sat US tests to assess aptitude and critical thinking, leading to the scholarship offer.
‘I got rejected by Cambridge and I was heartbroken,’ he said. ‘I honestly didn’t think I would get into the US universities if I couldn’t get in here.
‘But then the MIT letter came and then Harvard. I have decided on MIT because it is the best university in the world for aerospace engineering.
‘I was really pushed by my teachers. I want to have an impact on discovering something meaningful for humanity.’
Isuf paid tribute to his 39-year-old mother, who moved from Bangladesh in 1998 and works as an optician’s receptionist.
‘My mum was always so supportive and when I needed help at school or with books it was down to her,’ he said.
